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December 5, 2010

Darari obi

I was trying to find out about how to tie the darari obi that maiko wear. "Maiko" is an apprentice geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) or geisha. The obi they wear is very long (6 to 7 meters!) and very heavy and tied in a special musubi (knot) that dangles in the back. I love the way this musubi looks, so I was think I could possibly do this if I had a maru obi!

A maiko

A darari obi is patterned on both sides, like a maru obi, only longer. One end has the mon or crest of the okiya where the maiko lives. After a rather circuitous journey through cyberspace, I finally found a wonderful tutorial by Mojuko (Round Table Productions) using a maru obi. It looks like I would need a helper in order to get it tight enough. Plus a larger obi ita and a large obi makura, but those could be made. But then again, I have no intention to actually dress like a maiko or geiko; however, learning the different musubi, their origins, and what type of obi is used to tie them is good for basic kimono kitsuke knowledge. Plus the musubi looks really cool...you never know, I may try to tie it one day!
Now I just need a maru obi...
~reb